Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common forms of foot pain and can be very debilitating for the sufferer. For many, the first step in the morning is the worst and many can dread taking it because their foot pain is so severe. Some even say it is like the pain of walking on broken glass. This is certainly symptomatic of plantar fasciitis. It occurs when the plantar fascia, the long ligament running the length of the foot, is continually put under pressure. Small rips form in the plantar fascia which become inflamed as the ligament continues to be stressed during motion.

Plantar fasciitis affects over 2,000,000 Americans every year. This makes it a very widespread problem. Heel soreness, especially right off the bat each morning, can indicate a problem with foot bio mechanics. This is usually over pronation (or excessive inward rolling of the foot), although heel spurs may also be present. Heel spurs usually cause heel pain in the front part of the heel. Like plantar fasciitis, it can be very severe. However, heel spurs are not always present at the same time as plantar fasciitis and the severity of the pain felt in the second condition is independent of the presence or absence of heel spurs.

The sharp heel tug first thing in the morning occurs because the plantar fascia, over stretched during motion during the day, relaxes and contracts during rest. When the full weight of the body is placed on this tight tendon on rising, it stretches sharply, tugging at the heel bone and reinflaming the injured ligament.

For this reason, one of the best exercises to treat plantar fasciitis is to specifically stretch it out before putting weight on the foot. One way to do this is to pull the toes upwards flexing the feet to warm up the tendon before standing up. The stretch can me made more intense as needed by stretching out the legs, flexing the feet and then passing a belt around the toes. Next gently pull on the ends of the belt to pull the toes up further. The stretch should be held for a count of 20, released and repeated twice more.

This same effect can be achieved passively by wearing plantar fasciitis night splints. These vary in their precise mechanics but all hold the foot in a flexed state overnight, which prevents the plantar fascia from tightening. The advantage of night splints is that over time the tendon heals in an elongated length and the night splint can be discarded.

An overly tight Achilles tendon can also cause plantar fasciitis because it too attaches to the heel bone and can cause undue stress on the plantar through its own tugging on the heel bone. This means that one of the best exercises to ease the pain of plantar fasciitis is to stretch out the Achilles tendon. This can be done by gently lowering the heels off a step whilst balancing on the toes. The wall calf stretch is another great way to stretch out and elongate the Achilles tendon producing a satisfying and intense stretch.

How long it takes to cure plantar fasciitis can vary as it is a complex condition best treated using a variety of exercises and equipment. It is important to try a range of techniques if you want to cure it completely.